Here There Be Dragons - Discussion/Planning

[Child of the 7th Age]

I will be away a few days without access to a computer. I went ahead and did a save for Ráma, since I wanted to reserve a space for her to receive the news from Thorn regarding the proposed attack on Mithadan's ship.

This will likely not be filled in till Monday.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 11:44 AM January 23, 2004: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

Hilde

Is Surinen north or south of the present Eagle encampment? And about how far?

~*~ Pio

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Pio That would depend where the Eagles are, I suppose. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] But I will arbitarily say south, at about a day's ride.

[Mithadan]

Child, I took the liberty of editing Thorn's letter to Rama, changing the day that the Star is to be seized from "tomorrow" to "within two days' time". This matches Esty's earlier post regarding timing.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Mithadan,

Thanks for the edit. I was going to check with you on the timing, but didn't get to it yet.

I've also sent you a pm to ask for further timing clarification on one or two points.

Child

[piosenniel]

Hilde

Rôg is about to drop in on Narayad and Surinen . . . [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde,

You raised this question about a week ago:

I am also wondering if they[SCs ]are aware of the Valar, since they have avoided men and elves. Perhaps they would think them foreign. Their ability to "wear" different forms, being reminscent of the Valar (on a very small scale, of course), I wonder if they would even see a bit of the that.

My guess is that most maenwaith know very little about the Valar, since they have spent their whole life in the Southlands (unlike Bird, for example). Perhaps only those who have extensive ties outside the clan (and these are mainly the baddies) would have heard of the Valar.

On a related note.... Perhaps the Eagle clan would have some stories about a Great Eagle who looks and acts suspiciously like Gwaihir, but would know him by a different name. But names like "Manwe" or "Varda" would mean nothing to Ráma.

I do think the clan has a respectful attitude towards their own ancestors and see them as offering some form of protection (though not as "gods"]. Like the Rohirrim, they might view death as a return to the "meeting tents of the ancestors".

Do you remember the tiny statues that Mithadan found in the marketplace of men with heads like beasts? I have a feeling that those might be representations of these venerated ancestors -- not beings to worship, but someone for whom one has respect. (Ráma may even keep one nearby for good luck!)

At some point, Aiwendil should come into the main storyline, and he does have the ability to change shapes. That is, if he ever regains his former skills!

If anyone else has any other ideas on this, just chime in....

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 3:03 PM January 27, 2004: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

Hilde

Can Surinen or Narayad throw a rope down the well? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Thanks very much Child!

And yes Pio, they would be most happy to throw down a rope. We wouldn't want poor Rôg to drown! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Estelyn Telcontar]

My save for Tinar is filled in. Looks like the party's over...

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Esty, you mentioned in your last post a "young desert settlement". I was curious where and what this might refer to.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I was referring to the city which Wyrma is building up - it's not much yet, but she intends it to be her capital.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Oops! Ráma forgot something....

My last post has been revised for style as well as content, especially the ending.

[Mithadan]

Real life has caught up with me a bit and between work and the Super Bowl (Go Patriots!) if I do not post today I will probably not post before Monday. Don't wait for me. Because I am an admin I can edit any post to insert one of my own.

[Nerindel]

Just to let you know I have filled Korpúlfr's save.

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

I bring grave news of the tragic soon-to-be fatal illness of Ayar, chief and matriarch of the Eagle Clan. Who would have thought that an insect's sting could be so deadly?

[piosenniel]

Oh, well done, Squatter!

Hazad is such a skilled artisan. It will be sad to see him, if indeed he does, receive his just deserts.

(. . . and yes, I meant 'desert'; see HERE.)

~*~ Pio

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

Thanks, Pio. Nothing too brilliant there, but I think she got his point.

I'm sure that Hazad will get what's coming to him. He really does deserve it, even if it will mean the loss of a true artist.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Wilma???!!! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Hey, Mithadan, I need to send you a PM re upcoming events! Please open up a spot in your mailbox, eh? Thanks! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Mithadan]

I have deleted several messages. Sorry!

[Ealasaide]

THANKS!

[piosenniel]

Sorry, Hilde! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

Rôg was due back at the caravan. Surinen can hand him the cleaning bill when they meet again. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

~*~ Pio [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Ooo, what an effective weapon! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] And what a first impression to leave Surinen with!

Sigh, stuck in the desert only one set of clothes and no detergent! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

(I'm somehow reminded of the imfamous crunchy frog and lark's vomit candies from Monty Python. But of course this is, as you said, corrosive, and therefore unsuitable for fine chocolates.)

[piosenniel]

Perhaps not chocolates for Mannish tastes - but I'm seeing here a great opportunity for the orcs displaced by the unfortunate outcome of the war to join the new merchant class.

vis a vis, Hershey's Pot o' Gold -

"Uzgush's Pot o' Puke" - fine candies for those with an alternative, and yet discriminating, palate

Cockroach Crunchies, Vulture Vomit Creme centers, ad nauseum . . .

[img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 2:51 PM February 05, 2004: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

For local consumption I should hope! Otherwise I'm afraid it would prove a hopeless business venture.

"Don't forget the dragon scales in dark chocolate", Hilde says with a nod and a wink to...hmmm... Wilma, was it? "I think she might have some of the needed ingredients about her somewhere!"

[Child of the 7th Age]

Ealasaide, Mithadan,

You have a killer cat sitting on your window ledge!

*****************************

True confession:

There is a section of my latest post which is plagiarized. The ideas and even much of the wording in Ráma's reflections on Man come straight from Bird! There are from Bird's posts in the Lonely Star RPG.

Thank you, Bird, if you are out there reading!

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 9:15 PM February 05, 2004: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Ealasaide]

but "hateful"??? Airefalas isn't such a bad guy! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Congratulations to Rama, on a fine first skinchange! (Though I don't think Thorn would agree at the moment.)

[Mithadan]

I have filled in my save. The ball is now in Rama's court, Child!

The shift over to vBB inserted our signatures into all our posts unfortunately. Going forward, please remember to check the box to onit your sigs.

[Nonesuch]

Just testing. Ignore l'il ole me.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hello Nonesuch, and thanks Mithadan for that great entree!

I will probably get on the reply tomorrow. I'm still playing a bit of Downs catch-up.

Child

[piosenniel]

Squatter

This is too cool!

You are now an icon . . . of sorts!

(it reads Squatter if you put the cursor over it in the 'Smilies' menu box)

~*~ Pio

[piosenniel]

Sharon

Well done! I like how the difference between Bird's approach and the more traditional desert dwelling maenwaith is shown.

Drew a line for the men . . . good on!

The young woman scowled: Bird must have had unending kindness and compassion to put up with such people.

Now, having sent her away, he was asking for another favor. By rights, she should turn her back on him. Rama bent down to retrieve her sheets and cart, scowling at the Men and responding coldly, "I have things to occupy me today. I will leave tomorrow before dawn. If you are there, we will see. But I will not wait for you." With that, she turned and left the room.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Pio, thank you.

I would say there is a bit of a cultural gap between Ráma on the one hand, and Mithadan and Airefalas on the other. I would anticipate that to continue until some kind of an understanding is reached.

And Bird must have been a 'saint'!

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde (and Pio),

Hilde, I am assuming that Surinen and Narayad made it back without incident. If you still need to post something about their return, I'll edit and/or push my post forward.

Could you come to Ayar's tent along with the elders? You can start the meeting if you like, and use Narika to let you know what's happening. Also, please make sure to tell Narika about the stranger who visited and then disappeared. Make it as suspicious sounding as you want!

Pio -- What a terrible time for Rôg to have visited, given what happens to Ayar immediately after....

It just occurred to me that once the clan knows there is foul play with Ayar, Rôg's future prospects may seem rather dim, should he come waltzing into the Eagle encampment!

Child

[piosenniel]

Cami

Maybe Rôg should remain in bird form when they enter the encampment:

African Bee-eater bird

Then Rama can find him out as an SC when she happens to see him speaking privately to Aiwendil in a secluded place somewhere.

What do you think?

~*~ Pio

[Child of the 7th Age]

Pio,

That's a great idea, but I do have a question

Check your pms.

Child

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Yes, I was already planning on having had Surinen enter camp as a dog, in which case he could pick up quite a few scents, including Rog, (if SC's retain some element the same scent no matter what form they are in). But I think I can do that without moving your post Child. So I will have the next post as the meeting, please PM me if you have any sudden inspiration about what needs to come out of the meeting.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde,

If you find it would help to flip my post forward, please let me know and I'll be glad to do that.

The Eagles still don't realize that Ayar's illness is caused by foul play. But I suspect that, with all the uncertainty, Narika will be upset to hear about a strange visitor who comes in one second and seems to disappear the next. You can represent that in your post or, if you want, throw it back to me---whatever works better.

There are two things that, when put together, could tip the Eagles off as to their 'true' situation: the arrival of Thorn, with the information he gleaned, and/or the arrival of Aiwendil who has overheard the birds talking.

The main thing now is that the clan will agree to stay put for a while and that everyone will surely be worried about Ayar. I assume your character will at least raise questions about the stranger he's seen and Narika will put the camp on some sort of higher "alert" with guards posted, etc.

We're not locked into just this, however, and you're welcome to dream up something additional.

Child